Civil and religious leaders have paid homage to the memory of the Argentinean pontiff. Under his leadership, the Church completed the efforts begun by predecessors to bring Islam and Christianity closer together in the face of escalating fundamentalism. From the banking crisis to the explosion at the port of Beirut, the pope's closeness in the face of the great tragedies in the country's recent history.
An appeal on the anniversary of a conflict that has a starting date, but still no end date. The Maronite Church is ready to form a committee of elders called upon to overcome ‘conflicts and amnesia’. A warning also present in the apostolic exhortation on Lebanon by John Paul II, which is still waiting to be implemented. The Land of the Cedars has been a ‘satellite’ of Syria and Iran for too long.
Speaking to AsiaNews, Jordanian scholar Al Sabaileh says that reports that several Shia groups in Iraq plan to disarm are likely accurate. US pressure and the fear that Iraq might become another battleground like Syria, Lebanon and Yemen have been decisive. But with the end of the armed struggle, the militias’ political weight will not be the same in upcoming October elections.
The military neutralisation of the 'Party of God' and the restructuring of the institutions are at the centre of Morgan Ortagus’s visit to Lebanon. One of the unresolved issues is the failure of Israel and the pro-Iranian movement to comply with the terms of the November ceasefire. The controversial issue of "normalisation" with the Jewish state is off the agenda.
According to a study by Frontline AIDS, while the disease saw a 39 per cent overall drop in the past 15 years, the epidemic is escalating in the Middle East and North Africa, with a record 609 per cent jump in Egypt. Marginalised groups, in particular homosexuals, sex workers and drug addicts, are at great risk.
The winds of war are blowing again between Israel and Lebanon after rockets are fired into Israel from Lebanon, followed by Israeli planes striking near the Lebanese capital. Hezbollah denies any involvement, and the agreement falters. President Aoun meets Macron and talks with Ahmad al-Shara to stabilise the border with Syria.
